


Resting, But In Pieces

by Bagpipes5k2



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Implied experimentation, Implied/Referenced Torture, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Starscourge (Final Fantasy XV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 03:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15621864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bagpipes5k2/pseuds/Bagpipes5k2
Summary: Two of the bros are captured by the empire and experimented on before being rescued. A short drabble for tumblr's ffxv_scourge_weekend.





	Resting, But In Pieces

FFXV Scourge Weekend Day 3: Experimentation

 

Warm flames crackled as Noctis fed the fire, but he felt none of the warmth. Stormbound eyes stared at nothingness as the prince numbly set a pot of water to boil for morning coffee. Once done with that he looked over to the other chairs around the campfire.

Two of them were empty.

Noct ran hands through his unkempt hair hard enough to pull raven strands free.

“We’ll get them back, Noct.”

_Gladio_.

The shield’s grip on Noct’s shoulder was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“I fucked everything up last night, Gladdy. . .”

“No you didn’t. Stop blaming yourself.”

Noctis kept running the raid in his head: take out an imperial base and get out. Easy for a newly-made king and his Crownsguard, right? Right?? So then why had Ignis and Prompto been captured? And where the hell were they now?

“We’ll go back into the base tonight and look for any leads. Until then we stay at this haven. Just in case they make it back here first.” Gladio sighed and looked in the direction of Aracheole fortress, scowling.

Noct could only stare at Ignis’ cooking table and the two cracked phones that lay there. The only things they’d returned from the base with. The prince jumped out of his chair and began pacing in frustration. Waiting here an entire day was going to drive him beyond crazy--

He abruptly looked up as an all-too familiar humming drone filled his head, and in minutes an imperial dropship was hovering far too close. Still high up above them, the transport’s door folded outwards--to reveal the smirking figure of Caligo Ulldor. Flanking him were two MTs with very familiar prisoners flung over their shoulders. Ulldor nodded at the prince and shield far below and switched on a loudspeaker in the craft.

“So kind of you to leave us with test subjects for His Excellency’s starscourge trials last night. Rather lacking in enthusiasm, these two, I’m afraid.”

Gladio was fuming. Noct glared at the commander.

“You have ten seconds to set them free before I come up there and _tear your damn head off_!” The raven was shaking with rage.

“Not so fast, boy-king.” Caligo gestured and the MTs stepped closer to the edge of the dropship’s entrance ramp. Ignis and Prompto remained limp and insensate. “One mistake and they die!” The oaf was about to continue speaking when he suddenly stopped, listening to something in his earpiece. He smiled at the two Lucians, nothing pleasant about it in the slightest. “It seems we’re needed elsewhere in this Astrals-forsaken area. Tell me, little king. . .can the Crownsguard fly?” Caligo gestured as he turned back towards the interior of the dropship and the MTs silently, mindlessly tossed their unconscious cargo overboard before following their master inside.

“ _NO_!!” Noct watched in a suspended instant of time as his beyond-panicked mind tried to reason out what he was witnessing. He ran, leaping off the edge of the haven and warping upwards as high as he dared, catching one flaccid companion--he couldn’t process who--and swiftly warping back to the ground, depositing what turned out to be Ignis onto the grass as he already spun to warp yet again up to Prompto, then back to solid dirt, rolling with the effort. Shaking and gasping, Noctis flopped onto his back, sucking in air as Gladio was already running to them. The imperial airship had departed.

“They’re. . .okay. . .?” Noct could barely catch his breath.

“Six I hope so. They’re alive, anyway. I’ll get them into the tent. You get yourself together.” Gladio looked at his charge, worry on his face for Noct as well as the others. The prince could only nod as his shield slid into rescue mode.

A short time later Noct was back at the tent with Gladio, both men watching their still-unconscious friends. Ignis and Prompto both displayed signs of torture along with starscourge use: dark veins of poison running through them like graying shadows. Potions had helped only so much, and had done very little if anything for the scourge corruption. Not as horrifying as a full infection, but still. Noctis could see marks here and there where hell only knew what kinds of needles or scalpels had been used. Gladio sat beside Ignis, treating leftover scrapes while Noct ran a hand through Prompto’s hair. The beginnings of daemonic horns could be felt, and when he took his friend’s hand he could see talons forming where fingernails should’ve been. One look at Ignis and the prince could see similar evidence on his advisor.

“The next dropship we see is getting _eviscerated_.” Noctis looked out at the haven and the land beyond. Prompto stirred and opened his eyes, panic beginning to take hold but Noct was quick to reassure him. Ignis woke soon after and was relieved to see that Prompto was well enough to at least be awake.

“They tortured us, as you’ve probably guessed,” Ignis said quietly. He looked as close to being unnerved as Noct could remember. “They’re trying to make hybrids out of daemons and humans.”

“Not anymore, they’re not. Not as long as I’m king of Lucis.” Noctis looked at his friends, taking their hands. “I’ll find a way to heal you both. And after that? We’re taking back our home.”


End file.
